Apparatus for perforating wood preparatory to receiving preservative material



Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,324

' C. N. GRAM APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING WOOD PREPARATQRY 1'0 RECEIVING PRESIJRVA'1IVE MATERIAL Filed Dec. 19, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor CLARENCE GRA M Avuorneys Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,324

c. N. GRAM v APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING WOOD PREPARATORY TO RECEIVING PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL I I Filed Dec. 19., 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenbor GLARENGE N. GRAM Avoornegs Feb. 5, 1929.. I 1,701,324

c. N. GRAM APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING WOOD PREPARATORY T0 RECEIVING PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL I Filed Dec. 19, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor CLARENCEN.RAM

Abnorneys /Z C/ bdMM I C. N. GRAM APPARATUS FOR PERFORATINGIWOOD PIEPAR'ATORY TO RECEIVING PRESERVA'IIVE MATERIAL Filed Dec. 19, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor CLARENCEN. GRAM AbbOfneg Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE N. GEAM, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR T THEVALENTINE- CLARK 00., or ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING W OOD PREPARATORY TO RECEIVING PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL.

Application filed December"19, 1927. Serial No. 241,065.

This invention relates to improvements in pole punching machines, that is machines which are used for perforating or indenting wood preparatory to impregnating it with a preservative.

General objects vide a comparatively simple construction by which the punching elements can be ad ranced to be maintained in, and withdrawn from operative position, and by which they are capable of conforming to the configuration of the surface of the element being punchedor perforated. In preparing poles for impregnation in the manner above mentioned, it has been difficult to obtain a uniform depth of punching or impressing.- The present invention provides an arrangement of a plurality of punching elements which are capable of automatic adjustment relatively to the surfaces of the stock. a Features of the invention include all the details ofconstruetion.

Advantages of the inventionwill be set forth in the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section illustrating the general construction of the device and showing the punching instrumentalities in raised inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing'the punching instrumentalities in lowered, operative position;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section substantially on line .3 3 of Figure 2, illustrating the connections for the pressure applying links as well as showing the internal construction of the cylinder for operating the linl s and punching mechanism Figure 4 is a detail section through the link operating cylinder; and

' Figure 5 is a detail transverse section through the punching head showing the con structlon and arrangement of one of the punching units.

A. structural iron supporting frame for the mechanism is generally indicated, and comprises, among other elements, a bridging structure 2 supported at opposite sides on I- beams 3 inturn supported on suitable foundations. Slidably arranged in guides 4 is a frame 5 which may be referred to as the of the invention are to protrolled by a Valve 43.

. punching frame. This frame is reciprocable in a vertical direction and supports those elements which control and i perform the punching operation, and which operate'to advance and withdraw the punching mechanismrespectively toward and away from the work. i

The work, such as a pole 10, is supported, directly beneath the punching mechanism, as best shown in Figure 3, by a pair of rollers 11 mounted on a suitable frame 1.2, in turn secured to'the upper end ofa piston 13 operated hydraulically through the cylinder 14:. The machine can be used for punching stock of any character, butis illustrated as particularly designed for operating on cylindrical stock. The work is mounted substantially as shown in Figure 3 to berotated to successively present different surface portions to the punching elements. The means herein employed for rotating the pole comprises.

a chain engaging over thetop of the pole and base, beneath rollers 21'carried by the beams 3 of the frame. The chain is suitably driven by means not shown.

Vertically slidable upon guides 25 is an 1 element 26 as ahead which provides a chamber 27 sealed at the bottom by plate 28, the plate being suitably removably secured as by bolts. Carried, by this plate are a series of tubes 30 as cylinders arranged in parallel relation, secured against axial movement, and extended downwardly toward the work support. Reciprocable' within each cylinder is a piston 31 having-a punching head 32, the

said head having punching pins 33. To the upper end of each piston is attached, as by threading, a rod 35 secured against rotation by a jamb nut 36.- In threaded engagement with the upper end of this rod is a plate 37 as a stop engageable with the top of the cylinder 30 for limiting downward motion of the piston '31. A jamb nut 38 engages the. plate from the upper side. The amb nut and plate may be adjusted by rotation upon the rod 35 to vary the length of the piston stroke. A constant pressure is maintained in the chamber 27 by the introduction ofsome fluid through a pipe 40, Figure 1, connecting with a supplypipe 41, in turnconnecting with a supply tank 42. This pressure line is confit) When the head 26 is forced downwardly, and after the punching heads engage the work, and with pressure continuously applied in a downward direction, the pistons are free to yield upwardly against the pressure in the chamber 27. When the head 26 is raised as shown in Figure l, the pistons are forced outwardly and the heads are aligned as shown. By this means, the heads or tools automatically adjust themselves to compensate for any unevenness of the pole as well as any inequalities in the surface of the pole, but at the same time equal and proper pressure is maintained against each head or piston. This compensating cushion effect is an important feature of the invention.

In order to maintain the pressure on the head 26,-and res ectively advance and retract it relative to the worsnthe opposite ends of the head are connected, and suspended by means of pairs of toggles {l5 arranged substantially as shown, adjacent opposite longitudinal terminals of the head. The upper toggles are pivoted as at l6, see Figure 3, to the frame 5, t. e pivots 46 being supported by a bracket t? in turn secured by bolts 48. Pairs of pairs of toggles are arranged at eacli end and the pivotal point of each pair is connected with the opposing pair by bolts or shafts 50. This shaft 50 als traverses and connects with an element 51 connected with a piston rod 52 as by threads as best shown at the left in Figure 4. Arranged on this piston rod is a piston 5a which operates within cylinder 55 suitably connected with the frame as by bolts 56, see Figure 2. The lower pivot of the toggles connects the tog gles with lugs integral with the element 26. Fluid to the piston 54 is controlled by valves -71 on stem 72, guided as best shown in l igurcs 1 and 2 in a bracket 74 carried by the frame iidjustably connected to this stein 72'is an arm 76 which is secured on the stem by means of a set screw 77. The upper end of this arm 76 is slidable upon a rod 79 Wllitll rod rcciprocable in suitable brackets 80 also carried by the frame This rod carries a pair of adjustable sl ops T8--78-, which alternately engage the arm 76 to .move the valves ill- 71 alternately in opposite directions. This rod 79 is reci 'n'ocalril by means of a pivoted crank 81. l-sec-ured to crank disk said k beiu gmounted on a suitably iou 'nalerl shaft 82%. The journaliug of this shaft is best shown in Figure 3 in which bracket] 84 are employed secured to beam. 3. The opposite end of the shaft 83 carries a gear 85 meshing with a companion gear 86 carried by shaft 8'7. Attached to the shaft 87 is a pulley 88 operated by a belt 89. Certain ll'l((?ll2ll1lS11'l,llOli shown, obtains synchronizing movement between the elements 89 and 2t) so that after the pole rotated the punching instrun'icntalities are forced to punching posi ion, raised. While the punches are being raised the work is given a slight rotation and .tOPPOCl, and then the tool is again forced "orwardly to punch and again raised. his ycle is properly carried out by a synchronizlug mechanism which will readily occur to anyone skilled in the art. 7

shown in Figure l, the head is in raised position with the links 45 having their pivotal points disaligned vertically. This is one limit position for the links. Referring to Figure 4-, the punching head is raised and lowered at the end of sch stroke of the piston, in other words, the piston travels from a position corresponding to Figure 1 to the right, and during a full stroke the pivotal points of the links are aligned and then disaligned to assume the position shown in dotted lines at the left of Figure 1. On the return stroke, the links are brought from the dotted line position to the full line position of Figure 1 and the result is that the punching instrumentalit es, for each stroke, are raised, lowered, and raised.

As the result of driving of the pulley 88 the disk 82 is driven and reciprocative motion transmitted to the valves 70-71. The valve 70 controls ports '9596 as well as exhaust port 97 while valve 71 controls inlet ports 9F3-99 and OXlMLUSt'POI'iI 100. The exhaust ports 97 and pass through a common chamber 101 to the common exhaust pipe 102. The intal e pipes for the ports 96 and 98 are respectively indicated at .l0310l. For purposes of illustrating the operation, it will be assumed that the element 54 lies in the )OSltlOH shown in Fi 'ure t when the toegles occupy the position shown in. Figure 2, or in other words, when the toggles, are holding the punching" elements forwardly in Inmching position. It will further be assumed that the dotted line position of element shown in Figure 4t corresponds to the position of the toggles shown in Figure 1 in which the working elements are raised. Tllhe valve is operated in the following manner: In Figure l, it will be seen that the elen'icnt 7i, positioned to close exhaust port 97, and open inlet port 95. At the same time valve 70 is positioned to open outlet port 100 and close inlet port 99. will be ui'idcrsiood that when the valve is moved in the opposite direction to its limit. the exhaust port 92' will be opesried. ii eke 9:3 rloscd, exhaust port lt ll closed. and intake port 99 open. 7

The punchers are thus driven into the wood, withdrawn, the pole turned, the punchcrs again lowered and criven then again raised and so on in repeated similar cycles. It will be understood, of course, that after that portion of the pole which lies within the punching zone has given complete rotation, the work will be slid l0ngitudinally to bring an unpunched portion in opposition to the punches.

In addition to the vertical reciprocatory liiii mechanism also made adjustable as before provided which does not compres mentioned. This for thepurpose of raising the frame to permit free introduction'as well as removal of the work. Cushion sprlngs 110 limit upward movement and rods 111 are pivoted as at 112 to the frame 0. Nuts 118' limit downward movement of the 'frame. For raising and lowering the frame, cylinder 115'is mounted in. a vertical position upon the top of the frame 1, centrally of the frame. A piston is indicated at 116 and a piston rod at 117, this red being pivotally connected centrally as at 118 to the top of the frame5. To

the upper end of the cylinder is connected an The element 119 forming an air chamber. piston operates between ports 120 -121 respectively connected by pipes 122123 with a tour way valve 124. Other ports of the {our way valve are connected by pipes 125126 respectively with the supply tank 42 and a storage tank 127. A pipe 128 con trolled by valve 129 in turn controls pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 14;. By inspection of Figure 1, it will be seen that When the valve is in one position to deliver, for eX- ample, to port 120, the port 125 is in communication with the tank 127 through valve ports 130. On the other hand when fluid is being delivered through port 121, connecting pipe 122 is in communication with the ports 1-32-13O to tank 127.

The main feature of the invention relates,

to the construction of the punching head including the'element 26, chamber 27 and ele ments 31-32 and their relation to pistons 30.

However, all details of construction of the entire machine are claimed.

The advantages obtained from a punci'iing and that the sapwood is not maceratcd, loos-.

eued or softened at its line of contact with the hcart woed. When it is remei'nbermil that substantially seventy-live per cent of the strength and elasticity of certain woods. ich for example as the western redceda in the sapn c d, .the advantage oi? preserving this sap n d in its original state will be evident. ellv means of the device herein a machine the sap wood in an injurious degree or llf rate it to decrease its protective action It is therefore an object of this invention to apply the punching force in such a manner as not to reduce the circumtcrencc of the pole pressure and fracture of the sap-wood. and thereby weaken the pole. The cushioning efi'ect furnished by applicants device is, therefore, a very important feature of the invention.

I claim as my invent-ion:

1. A device of the class described comprising a work support a head arranged to be advanced towards and withdrawn from the support, said head providing a chantiber, a series of cylinders communicating with the chamber, pistons in the cylinders havin punching instrumentahties, means for mainterminal taming air pressure in the chamber against the pistons. y I

2. device of the cla'ssdescrihed comprising a worksupport, a head arranged to be advanced towards and Withdrawn from the support, said head providing a chamber, a series the pistons, and means for advancing and retracting the head.

3. A device of the class describedproviding a support upon which the work may be turned, a head adapted to reciprocate toward and away from the work, said head having a chamber, a series of cylinders communicating with the chamber, a piston in each chamber having a punching portion, means for limiting the outward movement of the pistons in the cylinders, and means for maintaining a pressure in the chamber.

1-. Adevice of the class described providing a support upon which the work may be turned,a head adapted toreciprocate toward and away from the work, said head'having a chambeiya series of cylinders communicating with the chamber, a piston in each chamber having a punching portion, means for limiting the outward movement of the pistons in the cylinders, means for maintaining a pressure in the chamber, and means for forcibly advancing the head in a predetermined degree towards the work and retractin g the head, the

arrangement being such that the pistons are free for limiting movement towards the chamber as they engage the work.

A punching head havina chamber, passages comini'lnicating with the chamber, and punches having portions fitting the passages as pistons, and arranged to move in substantially the same direction.

'6. A punching head having a chamber, passages communicating with the chamber,and punches having portions fitting the passages pistons, and means limiting their outward nioven'ient.

7. A punching head havinga chamber, pas sages connnunicating with the chamber, and punches having iortionslitting the passages as pistons, and arranged to move in substantially the same direction, means limiting their outward movement.

' 8. In combination a punching head slidably arranged, toggles arranged to move the head respectively in opposite directions, means for operating the toggles, said head having a chamber and passages communicating With the chamber, and punches having extensions fitting the passages as pistons.

and having punching instrumentelities also recipreeably mounted therein, and means yieldably pressing each punching head out wai'dly.

10. A punching head for the purpose described having punching elements independently ti'anslatably arranged and cushioned,

so that after engagement of their punching instrun'lentahties with the element to he punched, the head is capable of being moved 10 toward said element to be punched. V

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of August, 1927.

CLARENCE N. GRAM. 

